The BSR Eagle Strategy ''' for Future Operations of the Nature Centre and Environmental Interpretati

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The BSR Eagle Strategy ... for Future
Operations of the Nature Centre and Environmental
Interpretation Network in the Baltic Sea Region

• Timo Vuorisalo, Turku Universty

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Why necessary?

• Original objective was to establish a strong
  network of environmental interpretation in the
  BSR 
• disintegration of the network would be against
  this main objective 
• 2) Project experience shows that networking
  really helps developing nature centres and
  environmental interpretation.
• 3) 80 of project participants think that the
  network should be upheld even after the project
• Therefore, the main task is to find the ways for
  continuing the network.

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Aims and description of the BSR Eagle network

• Overall objective to establish a strong network
  of environmental interpretation in the Baltic Sea
  region by
• facilitating institutional development and
  improving the capacity of nature centres and
  environmental interpretation, and
• trans-sectoral and international cooperation in
  all
• fields of activity from staff training to
  planning of nature centres and environmental
  interpretation.

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• The strengthened network would
• improve the role and contribution of nature
• centres and environmental interpretation as a
  part of the society,
• promote sustainable development through education
  and public participation, and
• generally improve environmental awareness in the
  Baltic Sea region.

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Definitions

• Environmental interpretation (EI) is like
  education, and includes guiding activities for
  children, families and adults and most often
  takes place outdoors.
•  
• Nature centres (NC) are all nature centres,
  nature schools, museums and exhibitions that
  provide EI services for schools and visitors.

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The BSR Eagle network
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A SWOT analysis for the network

• STRENGTHS
• Extensive and comprehensive network provides
  support and the possibility to change experience
• Variability many types of organisations are
  involved (e.g. universities, schools, NGOs)
• Some countries already have a strategy for nature
  education
• The extent of legislation and political support
• Different nature types present in the programme
  area

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A SWOT analysis for the network

• WEAKNESSES
• No common strategy in the region
• Process depends on personal contacts instead of
  organisational contacts
• Lack of governmental support
• Lack of resources, both human and financial
• Different legislative and political cultures in
  the participating countries

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A SWOT analysis for the network

• OPPORTUNITIES
• Combining NC activities with other sector
  activities (e.g. tourism or cultural events)
• Growing interest in nature education
• Growing interest on ecoturism
• Other organisations on the field and growing
  interest in international networking
• Development of self-employment in education

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A SWOT analysis for the network

• THREATS
• Lack of continuation in networking no umbrella
  organisation
• Unpredictable economic environment
• Domination of business thinking

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The experiences and expectations of the BSR Eagle
partners
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The experiences and expectations of the BSR Eagle
partners
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The experiences and expectations of the BSR Eagle
partners
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Possible strategic goals for the future

• Strategic goal 1 Developing the BSR Eagle
  network
• The network could itself establish an umbrella
  organisation with at least some of the following
  tasks
• - acting as a bridge to national/international
  policy
• makers
• - promoting new projects in the field
• - organising international meetings
• - coordinating expert exchange between NCs
• - coordinating international training courses

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• Should we establish a Nordic-Baltic Forum for
  nature interpretation?
• - one contact person in each country
• - an electronic network

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Strategic goal 2 Developing relations to other
actors

• Relations to other networks and organisations in
  the field are an important part of the future of
  the network.
•  Such partner/umbrella organisations include
• Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)
• The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
• The Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM)
• The International Ranger Federation (IRF)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and
  Cultural
• Organisation (UNESCO)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for
• Europe)

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• Some partners feel that our project should
  continue to function within the frames of a
  larger organisation in the field or at least be
  supported by one.
• - a partial solution to resource problems

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Strategic goal 3 Developing nature centres and
environmental interpretation

• Since the project has helped the partners to get
  new ideas for developing NCs and EI, further
  cooperation in the field could benefit the
  partners.
• Improvements can be achieved e.g. through
• training the personnel (administrative, managing,
  and teaching)
• cooperative pilot projects and exchange of best
  practises with other network members 

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• Achieving this strategic goal requires
  increases in the financial resources of the NCs.
• cross-sector cooperation within the network might
  partially alleviate financial difficulties
• support from some umbrella organisation?

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Strategic goal 4 Facilitating and promoting
projects in the field of environmental education

• SWOT analysis growing interest in nature
  education, ecotourism and international
  networking were seen as an opportunity for the
  project. 
• Thus, there is potential for both national and
  international projects in the field of
  environmental education, and our network should
  take an active role in launching such projects.
• This strategic goal includes
• promotion of ongoing projects and development
  strategies
• support to projects and strategies that work in
  the field independent from the network

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Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)

• Working Groups of HELCOM
• HELCOM's five main groups implement policies and
  strategies, and propose issues for discussion at
  the meetings of the Heads of Delegations, where
  decisions are made.
• The Monitoring and Assessment Group (HELCOM
  MONAS)
• The Land-based Pollution Group (HELCOM LAND)
• The Nature Protection and Biodiversity Group
  (HELCOM HABITAT)
• The Maritime Group (HELCOM MARITIME)
• The Response Group (HELCOM RESPONSE)
• (http//www.helcom.fi/groups/en_GB/groups/)

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The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

• Baltic 21 The Mission of Baltic 21 is to pursue
  
• sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region
  by
• regional multi-stakeholder co-operation.
• - founded in 1996 as a regional process for
  sustainable development by the Prime Ministers
  from the eleven member states of the Council 
• Baltic 21 members are the CBSS member states, the
  European Commission, intergovernmental
  organizations, international financial
  institutions, international subregional, city
  and business community networks and other
  international on-governmental networks.
  (http//www.baltic21.org/)

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The Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM)

• The Nordic countries consist of Denmark, the
  Faroe
• Islands, Greenland, Finland, Åland, Iceland,
  Norway
• and Sweden.
• The Nordic Council, however, cooperates closely
  with all other countries in the Baltic Sea region
• - e.g. potential areas of cooperation with NW
  Russia include the environment, continuing
  education and cross-border projects 
• http//www.norden.org/

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The International Ranger Federation (IRF)

• Established in 1992 as an association of
  protected area professionals.
• - acts as a forum for rangers from around the
  world to share their successes and failures in
  protecting the world's heritage and to promote
  information and technology transfer from
  countries in which protected area management
  enjoys broad public and government support to
  countries in which protected area management is
  less well supported.
• - IRF is a federation of associations, not an
  association of individual members 
• http//www.int-ranger.net/

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United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

• In December 2002, the United Nations General
  Assembly adopted resolution 57/254 on the United
  Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable
  Development (2005-2014) and designated UNESCO as
  lead agency for the promotion of the Decade. 
• http//portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_I
  D38477URL_DODO_TOPICURL_SECTION201.html

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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Environmental Education and Training Programme
• (EET)
• - promotes attitudes and value systems that
  influence environmentally ethical behaviour
• - EET Unit also collaborates with local non-
  governmental organisations
• http//www.unep.org/training/about/index.asp 

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UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe)

• - UNECE Strategy for ESD (Education for
  Sustainable Development) was established in
  Vilnius in 2005 in a high-level meeting of
  environment and education ministries of the
  region
• - a Steering Committee and an expert group were
  established
• - future events include Conference on Education
  for Sustainable Development, Gothenburg
  (Sweden), May 2008
• http//www.unece.org/env/esd/HLmeetMarchl2005.htm

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Thank you for your attention!

• Contact University of Turku Centre for
  Extension Studies, Lemminkäisenkatu 14-18
  BFIN-20520, Turku, FINLAND Phone (office) 358
  2 333 6475 Fax [phone] Website
  http//www.utu.fi
• timovuo_at_utu.fi

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